Press Advisory

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Press Advisory

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Release No: 035-06May 02, 2006

Public Event Showcases Launch of the Iraqi Virtual Science Library

Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Kenneth J. Krieg, along with Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky, will launch the Iraqi Virtual Science Library (IVSL) at the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) May 3, 2006, at 1 p.m. EDT. The event is open to the public and media.

The IVSL is an on-line library that will provide Iraqi scientists, engineers, physicians, researchers, and students with access to more than 17,000 journals on science and engineering, on-line training and educational materials and information on funding opportunities. The library will give provide nearly 80 percent of Iraq’s scientists and university students with access to the same scientific content available at any top-tier university in the United States.

A public-private partnership that includes several U.S. government agencies, 13 publishers of scientific journals, technology companies such as Sun Microsystems, and the Civilian Research & Development Foundation made the library possible. The Departments of Defense and State made generous contributions, and NAS arranged journal access privileges with the publishers.

The library was created to counter the deterioration of scientific, technical, and educational infrastructure that occurred over the last 30 years of Saddam Hussein’s rule. The Iraqi higher education and scientific community must be rebuilt if Iraq is to thrive in the 21st century knowledge economy.

Media representatives interested in attending the event should contact NAS at (202) 334-2807, email: biso@nas.edu. For more information about the IVSL, contact William Armbruster, Department of State, at (202) 647-1247, or William Alberque, Department of Defense (Defense Threat Reduction Agency), at (703) 767-7817.